MHF changes Cup promotion strategy

06/01/2002

AFTER reading Timesport's street poll on Friday, the Malaysian Hockey
Ferderation (MHF) realised that they have been using a wrong strategy to
promote the 2002 Kuala Lumpur World Cup which will be held on Feb 24 to
March 9 at the Bukit Jalil Hockey Stadium.
The poll found out that a majority of Malaysians do not know that the
event will be held in Malaysia, and those who knew, lamented on how
difficult it is to get their hands on a ticket.
An MHF official, who declined to be named, said the poll has `opened
their eyes': "With 50 days left to the World Cup (on Saturday) the
promotions for the World Cup should have been in full swing by now. But it
is still not too late, as a meeting was hastily called yesterday to put up
banners and posters on the event."
MHF secretary S. Satgunam blamed poor access to the ticketing company,
Axcess Tickets, for the slow sales in tickets.
"We have realised that we have been going about the wrong way to promote
the World Cup. So we will have to change our strategy to make it the best
ever," said Satgunam.
The public have called in and E-mailed Timesport saying that the process
of booking tickets for the World Cup by phone and internet is just too
tedious, and most of the time, the Axcess Tickets hotline is not
available.
As of Jan 2, Axcess Tickets have changed the number of their hotline to
03-74919999 as the previous number was faulty.
The generous 40 per cent discount on tickets for local fans for the
World Cup ended yesterday but there were hardly any takers.
After being on sale for more than a month, only 10 per cent from the
maximum of 312,000 tickets that can be sold for the 13 day event have been
booked by both local and foreign fans.
Which means that only 31,200 tickets have been booked with the World Cup
just 49 days away. And if a 50-50 ratio on foreign and local is taken,
only 15,600 Malaysians have made a booking to watch 16 of the world's best
countries in action for 13 days.
It is a real shame because the number of tickets bought by Malaysians so
far can't even fill the main stadium in Bukit Jalil, which has a capacity
of 18,000, for one match.
"For a start, we will have a ticketing booth at the official hotel,
Concord Kuala Lumpur, where the public can book as well as purchase
tickets. More than that I cannot reveal now because there will be a
meeting to formulate more plans to sell tickets and promote the event on
Monday," said Satgunam.
The meeting tomorrow will also discuss wheather the MHF should extend
the 40 per cent discount period further.
jugjet@nstp.com.my
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